Sacrifice
by StakeTheHeart
Summary: Friendship, love, trust. All those things can bring people together, make them a family with an unbreakable bond, but, what if none of that mattered? They thought they knew each other but they thought wrong. Past sins enslave them and only one will survive. The ultimate sacrifice must be given, but who will step up to give it?
1. The End

**So, this is the little devil that was so very hard to write which is why I did Revenge and that made me feel better (so that's good). This hurt my feels though and I'm never doing this again. I'm too much of a 'They all lived happily ever after' kind of person. This killed me but I meant it as a celebration for Liz's new movie _Animal_. Also, it was like a test to see if I could actually have the guts to write it. Sadly, I did, but I wish I didn't. I learned my lesson. So, despite starting it out nice, (I set it up that way because all horrors start that way) and with a heap of Jori, because if I didn't I wouldn't have gotten through the rest, this does end in a definite tragedy. Again, the only time I will ever do this. Read at your own risk and I don't want to hear complaints in reviews. I warned you and you read it. Tough luck. Usually I would put a sunny 'Enjoy!' but I'm not sure how much it will be enjoyed or hated so just read it and see. Inspired by _House of Myth _by _Creature_ _Feature _and possibly any horror flicks that traumatized me.**

* * *

Summer vacation meant a lot of different things to different people, but for me and the group of people I called my family since we met back in high school, summer vacation was the best time to spend all day and all night together doing whatever we wanted. Especially this summer which we had planned to be the best yet. We all decided to take a vacation from work and just spend time together. Our huge shared house had a perfect backyard complete with pool, BBQ, and even a tire swing just for laughs. We had a whole month to ourselves and I couldn't wait to start. I was waiting in line at the store. Once I paid for my additions to our party I waited outside to look for Jade. She came right on time as always. I slid in her sleek car, reached over to kiss her on the cheek, and then buckled up. Jade could be a pretty crazy driver but her reflexes were amazing. Plus, I trusted her wholeheartedly which was kinda crazy considering we hated each other for so long before emotions won out and we ended up together. Denial had been the root of both our problems with each other but now that it was all worked out between us we couldn't be happier.

"How was labor work, Vega?" she asked me with a playful smirk. I rolled my eyes, loving the fact she kept calling me by my last name. I hated it before, but that was when I didn't know she did that as a cover up for liking me by sounding hateful. Really it was her personal nickname for me.

"It's not labor work and it was fine. I found everything I was looking for. I'm so excited for our little vacation," I responded. She nodded in agreement.

"I am too. It'll be great to have everyone home at the same time for longer than a few hours," she replied. We all lived together in one big house but barely got to spend time together because of our varying schedules. Jade pulled into our drive way behind a truck and van, situating her car next to a beat up ragtop. The memories each of these cars had struck me. The van took us so many places, the truck towing an RV we had gotten stuck in, the ragtop taking us from one city to another in the pouring rain. That had been a hard and very annoying trip since it was, and still is, topless.

"Come on, Vega. They're probably starting without us because you took so long," Jade playfully complained. I hauled out the bags and followed her up the walkway.

"Yeah right. Like they would miss out on more booze," I told her. She shrugged but didn't admit that I was right. Instead, she took some bags from me while we headed for the kitchen.

"Hey muchachas! Is that more of what I think it is?" Andre asked when he came in from the back yard.

"That depends. What do you think it is?" Jade questioned him in a monotone, yet her brow was raised playfully and her smirk was in place.

"Beer?" he answered hopefully.

"Nope. Jack. Sorry, but you guessed wrong," Jade stated in a deadpan. I smacked her arm softly and shook my head at her.

"Yeah, it's more beer," I told him. He pumped his fist excitedly.

"But you did get Jackie D for me, right?" Jade inquired, grabbing my wrist to stop me from unpacking any further.

"I remembered. It's in that bag," I assured her with a nod towards it. Jade smiled and kissed me on the nose.

"That's one of many reasons why I love you," she crooned. I blushed at the tone of her voice, loving the sound, and then pulled her closer for a proper kiss.

"As much as I like this I think the people all vote in favor of getting this party started," Andre spoke up. Jade growled at him but let me go so I could take the cases of beer outside. I spotted Beck starting up the BBQ while Robbie was pushing Cat on the tire swing. She was giggling more so than usual which made Robbie's grin grow. I had a feeling Cat might have started a little early. I set the case down by one of the reclining chairs next to a cooler then went to check on the food. Beck held a beer in his hand which made two people to start without us.

"Hey, what gives?" I demanded, pretending to be wazzed off with my hands on my hips and a glare at the bottle in his hand.

"You took too long," he responded with a knowing smile.

"Well, **someone** doesn't have any manners," I pointed out.

"Nope, now empty the case in the cooler so we can have some cold beer," he ordered.

"Hey, no one tells Vega what to do except me," Jade suddenly said as she came up behind me. She wrapped her arms around my middle and rested her chin on my shoulder.

"Go put the beer in the cooler," she commanded close to my ear in a soft voice. I shivered but saluted.

"Aye, aye, captain!" I accepted playfully. She rolled her eyes but let me go with an amused smile. She sure came a long way from hating my guts. She was such a sweet softy underneath that mask she had on. I went to do as I was told and was soon joined by Andre who helped me. Once that was done he moved on to help Jade uncover the pool.

"Robbie, could you get the speakers and Pear Pad? We need music. And Cat, can you help me set up the table?" I called to them.

"Sure Toro," Robbie responded, leaving to go back in the house.

"Kay kay!" Cat answered. She hopped off the swing to skip over to me. We went inside and started gathering everything to set up on the table. By the time we had that done Robbie had the sound system ready, the pool was cleared for use later, and the food was ready to be served. We gathered to get food then sat down in various chairs to relax, eat, and talk. I set my plate down on Jade's lap, receiving a slightly agitated look from her, and then got up to start a playlist. It included everything from Frank Sinatra to Katy Perry. It was old songs and new songs, rock and pop, a mix of all our tastes so that we could all enjoy it.

Soon the leftover food was put inside, the booze was passed out, and we were having a good time. I watched from my seat curled up next to Jade in a chair we shared as Beck carried Cat off and Robbie tried to save her only for Andre to toss him in the pool. He came up sputtering and we all laughed at him. Cat squirmed out of Beck's arms to jump to his rescue, hugging him in the pool before leading him to the steps. Jade's arm shifted from my shoulder, down my back, and around my waist, to bring me closer. I looked to see her smirking at me, her beautiful blue-green eyes sparkling despite the haze the alcohol consumption added to it.

"What's up?" I asked her, downing the last of my orange juice and vodka. I set the cup aside just in time for her to down the last of her coke and Jack then grab me by the front of my shirt for a hard kiss. Her full lips left mine to travel down my neck, making me groan.

"The others seem to be having loads of fun without us. How about we head inside?" she whispered, her free hand that had held her drink coming up to brush over my cheek. I grinned, seconds from accepting the offer, when Cat skipped over hyper as ever.

"Let's all go swimming!" she exclaimed. Jade sighed and looked at her, taking in her soaked appearance.

"Looks like you already did," she commented.

"But you guys have to join us! Come on. We barely get time together," she urged, running past us to the house where she no doubt went to get changed into a bathing suit. The boys just shed their shirts, having worn swim shorts already. Jade growled and tucked her head in the crook of my neck. She mumbled something but I couldn't hear.

"What was that?" I asked her.

"You're telling me," she repeated, her irritation clear. It didn't make sense at first but then I put it in context with what Cat said.

"Oh, well, how about later tonight when everyone is passed out? We'll just have to lay off more drinks," I suggested. A mischievous glint appeared in Jade's gaze when she raised her head to look at me.

"You got yourself a deal Vega," she agreed, kissing me once more before pulling me to my feet to drag me inside. We changed and came back out without much distractions to see everyone in the pool already. Andre had Robbie in a headlock while Beck kept Cat from getting to him.

"Do you ever feel like we pick on Robbie too much?" I asked my girl as we made our way outside with our towels over our shoulders. She shrugged.

"Yeah, but it's too fun to stop," she answered casually. I shook my head but took her hand in mine to lead her to the chair we had been in. We draped our towels over it then jumped in to join the others. We played chicken and volleyball then tried Marco Polo but poor Cat kept getting lost when we all scattered successfully away from her. When we got tired we headed to the Jacuzzi to sit around and relax. I sat between Jade's legs, leaning back against her. Cat was leaning against Robbie's shoulder. Andre was reclined against a jet and Beck was in the middle using Cat's lap as a pillow and my lap as support for his feet. Jade sneered at him and pushed his feet off so that he flailed and sunk under for a second before breaking the surface. He frowned at Jade but she just smiled back innocently. I giggled, kissed her cheek as thanks, and then relaxed again.

Beck rearranged himself so that he sat between Robbie and Andre. We silently enjoyed the warmth bubbling around us then returned to the pool for one last game of tag before calling it a day. It was getting dark and all we wanted to do was sit around out of the water until it got too dark and we had to go in. The music was playing softly now. We were all dressed warmly and I was in Jade's arms again, sitting on a blanket we set out. The others joined us shortly. The sun gave off a bluish glow as it began to set but we weren't in any hurry to go in. The next song came on at that moment and we all smiled, recognizing it as a favorite among all of us. A soft guitar played the melody and I heard Jade sigh contentedly next to me. A moment later she was singing along to the song. She had the most beautiful voice.

"I took my love, and I took it down. I climbed a mountain and I turned around. And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills, 'til the landslide brought me down," she began, her gentle yet strong voice fluid. I couldn't help but smile at her soothing voice then picked up the next part of the song.

"Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life?" I sang, looking up at her lovingly. She tightened her hold on me and rested her head on mine.

"Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I've built my life around you. But time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I'm getting older too," she responded in kind. I let the guitar and other instruments fill the silence before continuing with the song.

"Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I've built my life around you. But time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I'm getting older too. Oh, I'm getting older too," I reiterated what she sung, closing my eyes to further enjoy the tender moment. The others listened quietly as they always did when Jade and I sung together. They told us how great we were together many times but I knew they meant it in times like this.

"Oh, take my love, and take it down. Oh, climb a mountain and turned around. And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills, well, the landslide will bring you down. And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills, well, the landslide will bring you down. Oh, oh, the landslide will bring you down," she finished, her voice fading out softly.

"I never get tired of that," Andre spoke up. Jade and I laughed. We looked to Cat and Robbie who seemed seconds from sleep.

"Ok, not yet you two. What should we do now?" Beck asked after shaking Robbie who jumped to attention which woke up Cat too.

"More singing," Andre requested.

"No, how about scary stories?" Jade suggested.

"Uh, I don't think that's-" I began but she slapped a hand over my mouth.

"Quiet, Vega. I asked them not you, scaredy cat," she cut in.

"I'm a scared Cat," Cat added, pressing close to Robbie. He wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her back.

"Oh come on. One story. I'll tell it," Jade stated, already gearing up to tell one.

"Ok. **O****ne**, but no more after that. Cat gets scared too easily," Beck agreed. Jade smirked in a way that made everyone shudder with apprehension, even me. I hadn't gotten over Jade's creepy streak but I was sure with time I would…or I hoped.

"Sure, fine. I'll go easy on you wimps," she said with a wave of her hand. I nudged her with a scolding frown.

"Be nice," I warned her.

"I am," she insisted. I raised a brow and tilted my head, making sure she meant it.

"I am!" she repeated vehemently. I continued to stare so she rolled her eyes, knocked me breathless with a kiss and then let me slump against her with a dazed smile. Wow, Jade's an amazing kisser. I couldn't really fight back after that.

"Ok, now that she's out of the way, I'll get started," she continued with a smug grin. The others laughed but settled in to listen.

"So, ever heard of The House of Myth?" she began, waiting until the others shook their head before going on.

"Well, there's this rumor that if you go down this road north of here that leads outside of town there's this old house, a dark monument with an unfortunate history. Everyone is warned not to even step foot on the lawn. There's nothing but fear, gloom, despair, hopelessness, and malevolence in every room, a combination that can cripple anyone. They say there is a wall painted with a message in red. It reads, 'Abandon hope all who enter here'. The ones who ignored the message simply disappeared. Many believe it's written in the blood of those who were murdered there but no bodies have ever been found. Inside this place death is sure to come quickly, it won't leave a trace, and it will be far too late to do anything about it. All that you'll find is hell waiting inside," she said seriously, her unnerving gaze and tone making us shrink. Was it me or did it all of a sudden get too dark out here? No, it did. I shivered and pressed up against Jade's side.

"Jade, that place isn't real, is it?" Andre asked in a squeaky voice.

"Why yes it is. I've seen it before but I've been putting off going inside for a rainy day," she stated in an honest yet joking tone. I could see by the way everyone was looking at her that they weren't sure if she was being truthful or not. I had a horrible feeling in my gut that told me she wasn't lying at all.

"Then, that isn't a story. That's real," Beck pointed out, his normally calm tone wavering slightly. Jade just shrugged.

"Then I guess it's true. My bad," she responded with a shrug.

"J-Jade, please don't say that," Cat whimpered.

"Yeah, Jade. That ain't cool," Andre joined in.

"Don't be such a whiney Willy," Jade retorted.

"I bet you couldn't last a minute in there," he shot back. I slapped a hand over my face. Here we go. Challenging Jade never turned out good.

"I bet you couldn't stay there a whole **night**," he added. Even Beck was shaking his head and sighing now. Jade rose a brow and sat up straight.

"Oh, I know **I** could, but what about **you**?" she questioned, smirking calmly back at him. Cat and Robbie looked at Andre with wide eyes. Beck and I watched anxiously.

"I-well-you-" he stuttered.

"I thought so. Look, I'll prove to you that I can enter the house without a problem, but I dare you guys to follow me inside," Jade continued. I gripped her arm tightly as my anxiety heightened. I could see the other's rising to her bait, disliking an overconfident Jade. Beck and Andre were both competitive when it came to her dares while Robbie and Cat stayed out of it most of the time. I wisely stayed quiet for this one but I knew I was guilty of giving in to her dares once in a while too. The difference being I was the only one to best Jade. No, I didn't cheat, necessarily… but I did best her. That's all that matters.

"Fine. I'm in," Andre agreed, crossing his arms.

"Me too," Beck added with a nod and returning Jade's challenging expression.

"I, uh, Jade. I think I'll sit this one out," I spoke up, my gut rolling unhappily. She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and then shrugged indifferently.

"Fine. Leave me hanging," she said, which instantly called to my concern. I couldn't let Jade go on her own. That's just cruel. I mean, what if she **was **scared? She may not say it but if she was then I wanted to be there for her.

"Ok then. I'll go for you," I told her, changing my mind. My hand gripped hers and her hand gave mine a grateful squeeze.

"Rob, Cat?" Jade questioned, looking to them expectantly. They both shifted a little but nodded. My best guess was that they most likely didn't want to go but they also didn't want to be teased any more than they were already. I sighed and looked to Jade when she suddenly stood.

"Great. Then I say let's head over there tomorrow night. We might as well get some sleep then, right?" she suggested. They nodded and got up. Jade offered me a hand up. I took it and she wasted no time tucking me into her side. I held her close, the feeling in my gut not letting up at all. We cleaned up a little and then headed upstairs in different directions. While the garage had been remodeled as an entertainment room, our attic held everything that would have been crammed in there. With a lot of us we had a lot of extra junk to stow away. The first floor was only the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The second floor had all our rooms. On one side of the hall, at the end, was mine and Jade's room and next to that, near the stairs, was Robbie and Cat's room.

Across the hall from them was the bathroom and next to that across from ours was Andre and Beck's room. With Jade's persuading skills consisting of threats we got the master bedroom which had its own bathroom. Jade never did like to share. Unless it was with me. Then she didn't mind so much. We exchanged good nights across and down the hall then turned in for the night. Jade and I got dressed in the dark as Jade didn't care one way or the other about the lights being on. I did, since Jade's tale freaked me out, but I opted to stay where I was by our bed. Once we were dressed we slipped under the covers. Jade automatically snaked her arms around me, holding me close to her so that my back was pressed to her front. Her leg hooked around mine and her nose nuzzled at my neck. Her slow, warm, breaths calmed me a little but not much.

"Relax Vega. It's like spooning a rock. If you want me to stay where I am you need to loosen up," she mumbled, her lips brushing my skin. I shivered and my hands gripped at hers. I could feel that trademark smirk of hers grace her face at my reaction.

"Ooh, that was interesting. I can think of much better things to do than that. If you want to of course," she whispered in my ear. I bit my lip, letting her husky voice wash over me. One of her hands began smoothing over my hip to slip slightly under my shirt. Her cool hand brought goose bumps to my skin. I let out a content sigh then turned over so that I faced her.

"Yes please," I confirmed, reaching up to lay my hand on her delicate yet fierce features. She kissed the palm of my hand and I brought her closer so my lips could find hers. She didn't resist, just leaned in. Our lips melded together and quickly grew in intensity. She gripped at my hip then pulled me flush against her curvy body. My hands gripped at her back desperately. I shifted a little to get closer to her and a deep groan fell from her parted lips. With a confidence boost I straddled her, removed my lips from hers, and trailed them down her neck to the juncture at her shoulder. My teeth met her fair skin to nip and nibble before biting down. Her body arched into mine and I pressed back with a moan of my own. Contact with her always set me ablaze.

"Tori," she gasped, her fingers now digging into my back. I grinned and then licked back up her neck to trace her lips with the tip of my tongue. She snagged it in her mouth before I could pull away and sucked on it then let it go, but I had other plans. It slithered back into her mouth to tangle with hers while my hips began to rock slowly. Her hands immediately fell to grip my behind so that she could grind into me too. We both whimpered at the sensation.

"My god," I panted against her lips when we parted to catch our breaths.

"Don't you mean goddess?" Jade questioned cheekily, rolling us over so that she pinned me to the bed. I laughed, slightly out of breath, and buried my hands in her hair.

"Yes, my goddess," I accepted with a smile. She kissed me passionately then brought her forehead to mine.

"I love you," she stated sincerely. She pulled back a little so that she could stroke over the side of my face. The loving gesture accompanying the words never failed to warm my heart.

"I love you too," I responded, my smile growing. She stared at me with such utter devotion that I couldn't say anything more. I slammed my lips on hers and let my body speak for me. She naturally responded to me with just as much as I was giving her. Our night carried on wrapped in an intimate embrace, only parting when we were too tired to continue. Jade held me in her arms, her bare body touching every part of me from top to bottom. I rested my head on her chest and let out a tired yet satisfied sigh. I fell asleep to her tender caresses down my back. When morning came I was in the same spot I had fallen asleep in. I stretched out, earning an irritated grunt from Jade. She was more asleep than awake but my movements must be bothering her.

"Stop it, Tor. I'm trying to sleep," she complained. I giggled. Her sleep induced voice was adorable. Jade had been such a heavy sleeper before we got together but the more we shared a bed the less heavy of a sleeper she was. It started when we had to keep an ear out for anyone coming home so that we weren't caught on the nights we snuck out to see each other. It stuck after that and now we each used it to our own advantages or disadvantages.

"Don't go back to sleep. I want another round before we have to really get up. Then I want to spend all day with you before you drag us all off to that haunted mansion of yours," I joked, tracing patterns along her collarbone. Her eyes snapped open and focused on me.

"Another round? Three wasn't enough?" she asked with an appreciative smirk. I shook my head.

"Nope, not at all. I can't get enough of you," I told her, running my index finger over her straight nose. She hummed and a smile curved her lips.

"If you insist," she mumbled.

"Oh, I do," I replied, initiating a kiss that lead to many other activities. By the time we left our room the rest of the gang had already sat down to eat. Cat and Robbie were oblivious as ever but Beck and Andre both smirked at us.

"What?" I demanded of them as I got some cereal and Jade made herself coffee next to me. She brushed past me, a hand trailing over the small of my back as she went. I smiled at her and she returned it over the rim of her coffee mug. She took a seat and I finished what I was doing to sit next to her. The guys just watched, those infuriating smirks still present.

"Can we help you?" Jade asked them, her sharp eyes flicking up to them across the table.

"I think someone got a very good sleep last night," Andre teased, glancing at me. Jade chuckled.

"And a good snooze this morning," she hinted suggestively. Beck choked on his own cup of coffee and Andre patted his back while laughing. Jade's hand made its way over my thigh and I wordlessly leaned over to kiss under her jaw.

"So, what's everyone's plan for today?" Robbie asked when he entered to put his bowl in the sink along with Cat's dishes. She came in behind him to hop up on the counter.

"I call hogging Jade. I wanna spend all my time with her before we go to that house," I told everyone. The weird clench in my gut had appeared again but I ignored it.

"Ok, then do you want to go for ice cream and a movie kitty Cat?" Robbie asked his energetic girlfriend. Cat squealed her positive answer and hugged him.

"That leaves me and you bro," Andre said to Beck.

"Borderlands?" Beck suggested.

"Yeah, sounds good," Andre said with a nod. The two got up to head for the side door that led into the garage from the kitchen. Robbie and Cat disappeared to get ready to go out. That left me and Jade, still sitting at the table.

"Well, they left pretty fast," I remarked, standing to put my plate in the sink.

"Mhm," Jade hummed, unable to say much more around a sip of her coffee. I set my dishes down then turned to go back but Jade was suddenly right behind me. I gasped at her unexpected close proximity and held a hand to my rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," she apologized, the hidden expression of triumph on her face saying otherwise.

"Sure you didn't," I muttered, moving to sidestep her. She blocked me, grabbing my hips to back me into the counter. I gripped at her shoulders in surprise and looked into her eyes. They were brimming with desire. Her hands ran up my sides to cup my face. She quietly studied me before her hands traveled back down to pull me against her by my belt loops. Her hungry lips attacked my neck, sucking and biting then soothing with her hot tongue. I melted in her arms which slipped around me to help keep me standing. She soon hoisted me up on the counter then connected our lips again. I held her tightly to me and scooted up close to the edge so that I could hook my legs around her. Her hips eagerly pressed into mine. Her hands frantically ran up my shirt while her lips worked tirelessly on mine. My body reacted instinctively, arching into her hands for more.

She chuckled into my mouth before her smirk returned followed by her hand dropping down to run along the sensitive skin that lied right under the waistband of my pants. They flitted lower to unbutton them then pulled down the zipper. Her fingers brushed over my panties once and I groaned. She looked me in the eyes, her own gaze smoldering and drawing me in. I pushed her back to slide off the counter. If she wasn't going to hurry up then I had to do something to keep things moving. However, before I could, she took me in her arms, picked me up, and practically threw me on the sturdy dining room table. I let out a grunt at the impact but somehow felt more heat pool in my lower region at the rough way she handled me. She leaned over me, standing between my legs. I raised them from their position hanging off the edge to wrap them around her waist. She bent over, her hands bracing her on either side of me.

"I always wanted to take you on the table," she purred, rocking into me once. I cried out at the movement. She slapped a hand over my mouth to silence me then did it again, but firmly. I whined under her hand and squeezed at her waist with my legs. My hands were currently digging into her shoulders. She began thrusting again and again, driving me insane from the friction but I still wanted more. She seemed to know because she grinned wickedly. She pushed me up further on the table then climbed on to hover over me. She rid me of my pants then roughly dragged her hand down the length of my body to stop at her destination. Without much preamble her dexterous, sinful hand slipped past the last barrier of cloth to work on giving me the high I craved. I tried hard not to make a sound but the threat of someone walking in on us was adding to it all, making it more intense. When I hit my peak and shuddered into relaxation Jade kissed me one last time then left me on the table to strut away with a satisfied grin.

"Oh no you don't," I breathed out heavily. I hopped off the table and cut her off, grabbing the front of her shirt so that I could shove her back. A cross between curious and agitated appeared on her face as she wondered what I was doing. I didn't want to waste time explaining so I forcefully spun her around, bent her over the counter, and trapped her there with my body. My hands immediately went for her belt buckle. I pulled it off in record time to unbutton her pants and tug down her zipper. I then yanked off her pants and shoved her panties down just enough so I had room. I caressed her smooth flat stomach and then moved up over her chest. A gentle squeeze already had her moaning. My other hand drew swirls along her skin as it headed lower. I leaned over her and kissed under her jaw.

"Your turn," I whispered. She shivered but smirked at my behavior. I proceeded to take her from behind, forcing her over the counter, my teeth at her shoulder. She whined my name a few times and muttered profanity under her breath as usual, but she seemed far more sensitive this time around. Surprisingly she finished quickly, biting down on her own knuckles so that she didn't make any loud noises. I slipped away from her with a big grin then went to get my pants. She fixed hers and picked up her belt to loop it back through where it belonged. When she was done she grabbed me by the wrist and tugged me into her arms so that she could kiss me deeply.

"Damn, Tori. That was…amazing," she told me, her lips inches from mine. I laughed and pecked her on the lips.

"Glad you liked it," I replied, a satisfied grin on my face.

"I loved it," she responded honestly, matching my expression. She took my hand to lead me upstairs where we laid spread out on our bed watching TV and cuddling. Jade set an alarm and then curled up in my arms so we could nap before heading out. All those feel good sensations I was basking in slipped away at the reminder. My gut twisted a warning but all I could do was hold Jade closer. I fell into a fitful sleep not too long later, my dreams doing nothing but make my worry worse. I thrashed in bed, my scream of pain making it into the real world now that I was released from the horribly ominous dream. Jade jumped awake next to me, her hands caressing and stroking in an effort to calm me. I couldn't really pay attention to what she was saying but it was enough to hear her warm voice aimed at me once again instead of that prickly sharp version I had heard in my nightmare.

"Shhh, it's ok Tori. I've got you. It's ok. It was just a dream," she assured me, her strong arms wrapped around me in a gentle embrace. I fell into her, crying silently. She held me without complaint until I was all cried out. Jade pulled back just enough to look me straight in the eyes, her concern palpable. She cupped my face in her hands.

"What happened?" she asked me simply. I struggled with my answer so she held me again until I was ready. I pulled back the second time, ready to start explaining. I described my dream to her and she listened with a grim frown. She stroked my cheek and then kissed me.

"Relax. You're fine now. Just forget it," she advised.

"I want to, but…Jade, I really don't think we should go. I have a bad feeling about it," I admitted, gripping her hands in mine. Her sculpted brows slanted down thoughtfully.

"I know you might be scared but it isn't called House of **Myth **for nothing. We won't stay long, how about that?" she suggested. I could see the fascination in her blue-green eyes and knew I couldn't deny her a visit to a haunted place just because of my own fear. I would have let her go without me but truthfully, no matter how scared I was, I couldn't let her go anywhere like that alone. Well, she had the others, but no one could care for Jade as much as I could. So, I sucked it up, and nodded. She grinned her thanks, kissed my nose, and then got out of bed to get ready. I sighed heavily before following suit. Once we were dressed, only stopping for kisses along the way, we met with the others in the living room.

"Ready?" Jade questioned them. They each nodded or made a sound of acceptance. In my opinion, they all looked a little green or at least nervous.

"Then let's go," she continued, gesturing us out of the house. We piled in Andre's van since it was the only vehicle that could hold all of us. Jade had to move her car before we could go anywhere, but once it was out of the way then put in the van's spot, we were on our way. I sat next to Jade, tightly gripping her hand in mine while she used her free hand to look up where exactly the house was located. She gave directions to Andre who listened silently, a frown on his face. In no time we had taken a dirt side road out and away from town. That led us to the countryside which sat a handful of old but big houses. We pulled up outside the only dark one with pointed spires and shabby everything. The shape of it was positively diabolical against the backdrop that was the setting sun. Cat let out a whimper.

"We don't have to do this right?" Robbie spoke up.

"Well, we did agree," Beck answered, voice flat.

"We just need to step inside then we can leave," Jade told them, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Why the change of plans?" Beck asked her curiously. She looked to me and I smiled gratefully back at her, squeezing her hand.

"I figured it was unnecessary to stay overnight. Just going in is enough. Plus…Tori convinced me," she responded with a shrug. I rewarded her with a kiss for coughing up the truth, even if it seemed like she wouldn't have said anything.

"Then let's get this over with," Andre sighed, getting out of the car. We all got out too and gathered around the gate entrance. Jade pushed on the waist high gate but it wouldn't budge so we jumped it. The yard was overgrown yet dying and a weird sense of foreboding already settled in my gut. We carefully climbed the steps since they creaked so bad I thought they were going to break. Jade stepped up to the door, the most confident out of all of us, and twisted the handle. With a jarring screech it cracked open. The sound made us all flinch. She pushed it aside so that we could peer in. There was a doorway to the left, a hall straight down, and a staircase that led up to the second floor.

"Ok, we did it, let's go," Robbie whined, moving to leave. Jade grabbed his arm and tossed him in ahead of her.

"We **all **need to be inside," she reminded him. She walked deeper into the house so that the rest of the group could fit inside. As soon as we were all in we waited like something would happen.

"See, nothing to be afraid of," Jade said, the end of her words punctuated by the door slamming behind us followed by what sounded like a kid giggling. Cat screamed and the others jumped, huddling closer to each other. I clung to Jade, the twisting in my stomach getting worse.

"We have to get out of here," I choked out, my voice almost failing. I was too afraid to move and trying not to hyperventilate. We were standing in pitch darkness until a flame sputtered to life next to me. I flinched at the unexpected light but quickly realized it was Jade's black lighter, the one customized with an image of scissors engraved in the sturdy metal casing. She turned around to look at our frightened group then pushed through them back to the door with me in tow. She released my hand to force the door open and I moved to grab a hold of her jacket. She growled her irritation and beat the door before giving up.

"Well, we aren't getting out that way," she finally concluded.

"Oh, chiz, oh chiz, oh chiz," Andre chanted under his breath. For once Beck didn't look so calm, cool, and collected. Cat was already on the ground rocking, pretending she was under her bed. Robbie was…where was Robbie? I looked around in the dim sphere of light the tiny flame gave us. I spotted him a little outside the light's reach.

"Robbie?" I called to him as quietly as I could but so that he could still hear. He didn't answer, instead he walked away.

"Rob!" Beck stage whispered.

"We have to stay together. Let's follow him," Jade advised. Hell, with her knowledge on horror flicks I'd wager she should be listened to. We stuck together and moved as a group to enter the room on the left. It was a dining room, the huge old table taking up the middle of the room. Robbie was crouched behind it, talking to someone or something in the far corner. We rounded the table and Jade held out the light which washed over the scene. Robbie was in fact talking to a kid, maybe no older than ten years old. What was he doing here? Was he lost? Was he stuck here too? I took a step forward but Jade held me back. Her preoccupied features were set in a defensive, tight lipped, scowl. Cat however ran forward to help Robbie coax the kid from hiding. Jade tensed next to me but couldn't stop her in time because her attention had been on me.

"It's ok, we're nice. Let us help you," she soothed, letting her natural abilities with kids take over for the fear she felt not too long ago. The kid was till hard to see well in the dim light but he looked sickly. He was so skinny with pale skin that bordered on ashy. His eyes were dull and sunken in with heavy dark rings around them. His whole appearance was ragged, like he had been here a very long time. I wondered if he was trapped in here like we were now which meant we would soon look like him if we didn't find a way out.

"Come with us. We can find a way out together," Robbie offered. The kid looked from Robbie to Cat with a lost expression before nodding slowly. They helped him to his feet and supported his wasted frame between them.

"Living…room," the fragile voice requested, drifting from the kid's mouth like a draft of wind. It made me uneasy, but really, what didn't at this point. We all shuffled through another doorway to come out into a living room area situated right next door.

"Hey kid, any lights in here? This thing will only stay lit for so long," Jade asked him. He nodded and pointed behind him to a wall with an old kerosene type light fixture. Robbie and Cat set him down while Jade and I moved to inspect the lights.

"Are you kidding me? Hasn't this place been renovated recently? Geez, at least we have a freakin' lighter on hand but what about-" Jade began to rant when I spotted something. I tugged on her arm to get her attention and then reached out to flip the switch I found. The room lit up in a dim but upgraded version of the lighter. The light fixture had been designed to look like a kerosene lamp but it was in fact a light bulb.

"Nice one Vega," Jade commended me. I allowed a small smile.

"So, I hate to say this, but I think we should split up to find an exit. If we keep moving around as a group it'll take longer," Beck suggested. Jade shot him a look.

"Really? You want us to split up? As if we weren't already in a real life horror movie already you want us to **split up**?" she demanded of him.

"Hey, I'm not the one who wanted to come here," he snapped back.

"Yeah? Well you could have stayed home like the coward you are," she retorted.

"Guys! Stop it! I get that emotions are running high right now but we need to stay calm. Now, I think we should check out exits before too much time passes," Andre cut in. His own voice was wavering but he still kept it together for the most part.

"Fine, then Vega is obviously with me," Jade responded protectively, holding me close to her now that both of her hands were free. Beck rolled his eyes.

"Of course. That leaves me and Andre. Cat and Robbie should stay here with the kid until we get back," he said, glancing at the two sitting on either side of the kid.

"Ok then, let's move," Jade grudgingly agreed. I let her lead us out towards the kitchen while Andre and Beck headed for the stairs. I managed to catch both of their eyes, Beck's flicking to Jade then back to me while Andre offered me a smile. I smiled hesitantly in return before letting Jade take me further into the next room. With some difficulty we found another light but it kept flickering, making it hard to focus. There really wasn't anything besides grime and broken down appliances. Jade searched everywhere, intent on finding something.

"What are you looking for?" I asked her quietly, still too afraid to speak any louder.

"A weapon," she answered firmly.

"Why?" I inquired.

"Just in case. You never know," she replied, pulling out a crowbar from inside a bottom pantry then looking to me with a pleased grin. We continued our original search and came across a door in the back of the kitchen. We squinted through the dingy window at the top to see it was a back door outside. Without hesitation, Jade tried the handle. When it didn't open she wedged the crowbar in the crack and started to force it open. I waited with bated breath, a wave of unease settling over me. Instinct told me to check behind us. I quickly did so to see a flash of someone passing the doorway. Why did that look like Robbie? Wasn't he supposed to be with Cat, keeping an eye on the kid? The kid. He gave me a bad feeling, but he was just a kid…right?

"Dammit! I can't get it open!" Jade snarled in frustration, yanking the crowbar out of the door. Its frame was totaled from all the force but the door itself wouldn't be pulled free. She ran a hand through her hair and I set a hand on her arm to calm her.

"We'll just try another way. Maybe we can join the guys upstairs? I thought I saw Robbie head that way so maybe he had the same idea," I told her.

"Robbie is supposed to be with Cat and the kid. Why would he leave her?" she questioned, expression confused yet worried. She didn't like the thought of Cat alone. She was the sister Jade never had. Although we were all pretty much a family now, Cat and Jade went way back to childhood years. The airy redhead was the only other person who truly understood my misunderstood girlfriend. The only one besides me of course.

"Let's check on her before we head up," Jade suggested, taking my hand in her free one, the other holding the crowbar in a way that would be ready for use. Jade was no stranger to weapons. Where I would hesitate to use them, Jade wouldn't. She already cut Ryder with a pair of scissors when she caught him trying to harass me. She then threatened to neuter him if he told on her. He effectively ran away with his tail between his legs. That was back when we graduated. Recently, she punched a guy out for slapping my butt. She promptly got us thrown out of the club when that first punch turned into a brawl. I had to practically drag her home because the men there had no qualms about giving back everything she threw. I scolded her until I couldn't speak and she promised not to be so stupid again. For the most part, she's kept that promise. She stopped looking for fights and used her words before her actions. I'm proud of her for that.

"Cat? Robbie?" she questioned as we turned the corner back into the living room. The scene that awaited us was enough to make our blood run cold. Jade rushed forward, leaving me frozen where I stood. The kid was slumped over on the couch and Cat was sprawled out on the floor.

"Cat! Cat! Fuck! Cat, please say something! Cat!" Jade screamed, falling next to the small girl. She pulled Cat's motionless body onto her lap and checked for a pulse. I watched as Jade's body hunched over, a sob tearing from her throat. It sounded so raw and full of pain that I knew the worst had happened.

"She's dead," Jade stated, her voice clogged with tears.

"No," I whispered, striding over to fall to my knees next to her. I reached out to check as well and pulled back when my hand came in contact with her cold skin and lack of pulse. The light highlighted markings around her neck. I forced back the burning tears to point them out to Jade.

"Look," I told her. She sucked in a torn exhale to brush a finger over the marks.

"She was strangled," Jade commented certainly. Her hand clenched into a shaking fist. I could see her anger rising, the one thing she always had a problem with. Anger was her outlet. She set Cat aside carefully, scooped up the crowbar, and swung on a nearby coffee table with a roar of pent up grief and fury. I let her vent, watching as she cracked the table in half with three swings. Afterwards, she let it fall from her hands to hit the floor at her feet. She fell soon after, crying once more. I crawled over to her and she buried her face in my neck. Her body shook harshly against mine and soon I was crying just as hard. I don't know how long we sat their mourning the loss of our friend but when our sobs died down we caught sounds of something happening upstairs. There was a pained scream and then a thud on the floor above us. I looked up then to Jade, my gaze passing over the kid. I was about to look away when I noticed black streaks trailing from his closed eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. I nudged Jade to point it out but she was already wiping off her face, grabbing the crowbar, and standing up with renewed determination.

"Whoever this fucker is, he pissed off the wrong person. I'll kill him!" she vowed, stomping off with her weapon firmly held at the ready. I fully believed she would do it too. I had no choice but to run to catch up with her. She went right to the stairs and began to climb them. I stayed close behind her. We got to the second floor landing and traveled halfway down the hall just as Beck was thrown out of a room at the farthest end. He hit the ground hard but scrambled to his feet.

"Run!" he screamed at us. We backed away, ready to bolt, just as Andre came barreling out of the same room Beck had been tossed out of. I couldn't believe my eyes. Andre looked different. His normally cheery face and bright eyes were now replaced with an ashen look to his skin, sunken eyes, and irises that were dyed a demonic yellow. A black tar like substance slid from his mouth which was twisted into a snarl, his teeth bared. Beck shoved at us in passing, forcing us to start moving. He skidded into a room by the stairs and we followed. He slammed the door closed right as we entered and proceeded to push a huge dresser in front of it. It was the only furniture worth blocking the door with in here. Jade and I rushed to help. We got it in place just in time for a body to slam into it. An enraged howl erupted into the air and I shuddered at the sound of Andre's voice warped in such a way.

"What, the **fuck**, happened?" Jade panted, leaning on the crowbar but looking at Beck. We were all panting hard from the adrenaline and running as fast as we could. Another slam against the door made us flinch.

"I don't know! Andre and I were checking out the rooms. We were in the last one when Robbie walked in. We asked him why he wasn't with Cat and he told us…he said he killed her," Beck gasped out, confused and scared with a hint of grief tinging his words.

"Andre told him not to mess around but the look on Rob's face…he was-he wasn't Robbie. Whatever he was, he wasn't Robbie," Beck repeated at a loss for words. He let out a broken whimper and fell to his knees. Jade passed the crowbar to me and then knelt next to him.

"Beck, you need to fill us in if we wanna get out of here alive," Jade told him as calmly as she could.

"Is it true? Was he telling the truth? Did you guys see Cat…?" he demanded, unable to finish the sentence. One look at our faces and he knew.

"Shit!" he screamed, covering his face with his hands. Jade rubbed his shoulder and waited for it to pass. Another slam to the door made us jump again. A crazed snarl followed which made us cringe into ourselves.

"I don't know what it is but its fucking evil! It's some Evil Dead shit, Jade! I swear, it was like-we couldn't-" he babbled, gripping at his hair. Jade removed his hands and held them in hers.

"Shhh, Beck, calm down then explain," she said, her fingers smoothing over his palms. I waited for him to speak with bated breath.

"After Robbie…confessed, he tried to attack us. We managed to keep him off us but he was like a rabid animal. He bit Andre! That tar crap, it was leaking from his mouth and somehow infected Andre because the next thing I know, Robbie dropped dead and Andre started complaining of a headache. I tried to comfort him but it just got worse. He started rambling then kept pushing me away. When I wouldn't listen he attacked me. He-he looked just like Robbie. I was tossed out of the room after that, and, well, you know the rest," he told us.

"Fuck," Jade whispered. We fell silent, trying to come to terms with what was happening, but the door splitting brought us back around. We looked up in time to see a piece of wood splinter, a yellow eye peering in at us.

"Get back! I'll handle him!" Jade shouted, taking the crowbar away from me to hold it up at the ready.

"What?! You're just going to-" I yelled at her, but she pulled away from me.

"What choice do we have?!" she retorted, her voice breaking as her defeated gaze questioned me. I groaned in realized defeat as well and let Beck pull me away. He then stepped up to Jade and disarmed her.

"What the hell Beck!" she exclaimed, trying to pull away from him.

"I'll do it. Take Tori and get out of here. Find a way out. I'll catch up when he's finished," he commanded. Jade's grip on the weapon tightened.

"And if you can't?" she questioned him, the stress in her features worsening. He just yanked the crowbar out of her hands and shoved her towards me.

"Get ready to run once I lure him away from the door," he stated, voice strengthening somewhat. Jade backed me away, using herself as a shield. I gripped her arm, leaning around her to try and catch her eye. She looked at me with a tortured gaze. She was trying to be strong, I could see that, but everything that's happened was wearing on her. I wanted to break down crying but my survival instincts wouldn't allow me to be vulnerable. The door crashed apart and Andre finally got through. He jumped the dresser with ease and targeted the first person he laid eyes on, which was Beck. He roared and darted forward. Beck brought the crowbar down into his side. Andre stumbled back, an audible crack telling us bones had been broken. Beck swung again, tears in his eyes, but Andre dodged and then rushed him. He grabbed the crowbar and used it to slam into Beck's nose which broke under the force, blood flying. He was slammed against the wall and struggled to get free. Jade grabbed my hand and dragged me to the door.

"Get out of here," she ordered in a way that made me do the opposite.

"Jade, you can't stay here! I won't leave you!" I told her, my voice cracking.

"Dammit Tori, go!" she shouted, picking me up and setting me on top of the dresser. She took my chin in her hand and kissed me, her eyes shining with tears when she pulled away. I didn't like that it felt like a good-bye. With that, she turned away and inserted herself into the fray. She pulled out her scissors and rammed them into Andre's side without hesitation. He screamed and swung at her but she ducked then came up to stab him again, this time in the chest. While he was distracted, Beck shoved him off. He fell but got to his feet again, unnaturally quick for being so badly wounded.

Beck lunged, aiming for his head this time. Andre's suddenly lightning quick reflexes caught the heavy blow, turning it back on Beck to hit him in the head. He crumpled to the floor and Andre turned on Jade. She managed to avoid his snatching hands and gash him across the face before he backhanded her then wrenched her only weapon out of her hands. He immediately used it against her, the once trusty blades now dragging against her flesh. She screamed, grabbing at the gash curving around her middle. His accuracy ensured that the wound was made against her shirt without the protection of her leather jacket to get in the way.

"Jade!" I screamed automatically. She jumped at the sound of my voice but drew strength from it at the same time. I watched in awe as her eyes acquired a determined glint along with rage. She sidestepped another deadly swing, caught Andre's arm in hers, and broke it with a precise jerk. He roared and grabbed her by the neck with his still working arm. She wrestled him for the scissors and finally obtained them. She promptly shoved them in his eye. He yanked away with a shriek and she took the time to arm herself with the crowbar. With a chocked sob and tears streaking down her face, she hauled back, and slammed it as hard as she could at his head. The strike let out a stomach wrenching crack, followed by a splatter of blood and that tar substance. Andre fell to the floor like a rock, twitching until he was motionless. A shudder wracked Jade's frame before she took a few stumbling steps in my direction. She fell to her knees halfway to me and I rushed to help her up.

"Jade. Jade are you ok?" I questioned her. She was panting heavily, unresponsive to my voice. Her hand went to her side and she whimpered. I looked down and removed her hand, finding more than just blood.

"Jade…" I gasped, losing my voice with the implication.

"I have to get you out of here. I won't let you become one of them. I can't," she uttered, her voice oddly emotionless but carrying a hint of something that repelled me. Her head rose so that my eyes were level with hers. The light of the moon streaming in from the window caught the blue-green of the eyes I loved. It also revealed the flecks of yellow marring them.

"No. You can't be…oh god, no," I sobbed, bringing my hands up to cradle her face. She closed her eyes and pulled away. I clung to the front of her jacket instead and let a wrenching sob tear through me.

"I only have so long. I need to get you out of here. You need to live," she spoke calmly, no longer afraid of what was already claiming her. There was no saving her and she knew it. I knew it too but I couldn't accept it.

"No!" I screamed, shaking my head. A hard glint shone in her eyes before she grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me.

"Yes! Get the hell up and start running Vega! I'm not letting it get you!" she yelled, forcing me to my feet and then shoving me forward. I almost fell with the force she applied but did as I was told, aware that my fear had returned. I didn't want to believe that it stemmed from Jade. I couldn't. Jade wouldn't hurt me, would she? She wouldn't let it get to her. She was strong. I wanted to believe that with all my heart but the malice in her expressing and the way her usually playful gaze started to dull told me otherwise. It was rapidly taking over and I was stupid to think differently. It was obvious in the way she screamed at me, full of anger I hadn't heard since we first met and didn't get along. She would never treat me with such aggression either. She was right. She only had so long left. I vaulted over the dresser and carefully made my way through the hole in the door. Jade was right behind me, a comfort and a discomfort at the same time. How long until I couldn't trust her? She would most likely turn on me faster than I had time to defend myself. If it came to that, would I even be able to kill her?

"It's no use going back downstairs. We should start checking the windows," she grumbled, her voice already gaining a raspy, unnatural quality to it. I nodded and headed down the hall. I entered the room Beck had been thrown out of. Robbie laid in the corner, the streaks I saw on the kid marking his face. I turned away to see the window was broken. The sight of it raised my hopes.

"Jade, look, the window," I pointed out. When I didn't get a reply I turned around, a warning tingle shooting down my spine. Jade stood in the hall behind me, swaying on her feet. She had broken out in a sweat that was already unheard of applied to her. Jade never sweated. The alabaster skin I admired was now a pasty white. Dark circles hung under her eyes which were more yellow than blue-green.

"Jade," I squeaked hesitantly. She dragged the crowbar up off the floor and I took a step back but she just groaned and shook her head.

"Not yet, but I can feel it," she grunted stubbornly. I felt a little better until she suddenly doubled over, dropping the crowbar. She coughed and fell back against the wall, the black tar staining her jaw and dripping to the floor from the corner of her mouth. Tears clouded my vision at the sight but I didn't miss the figure at the end of the hall stalking toward us. Moonlight from a passing room lit up the lanky figure to reveal Beck, blood running down his face and that inky tar leaking from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Jade caught the panicked look in my eyes and looked back over her shoulder. An animal-like snarl fell from her lips before she pushed off the wall towards me. I cringed away from her but she grabbed my wrist and threw me into the room.

"Barricade the door and whatever you do don't leave this room!" she stated, slamming it closed a moment later. I ran at it and tried to pull it open but she held it shut.

"Jade!" I screamed. I hit the door a few times but ultimately gave up. I leaned against it and looked around the room, seeing a desk. I ran over and started pushing it in front of the door. As soon as it was in place I heard Beck's chilling voice directed at Jade.

"Hey babe. How's it goin'?" he questioned, a deranged chuckle following the words. It sounded like a simple greeting from the laid back boy, but at the same time it was so obviously not. Beck was long gone. I held in a sob and continued to listen.

"Fuck you!" Jade growled. Her own voice made me wince. It wasn't at the creepy level Beck's was at, but it was getting there. She was barely hanging on.

"I'd love that, although it doesn't seem you would. You only have eyes for Tori now," he taunted, laughing in that maniacal way again.

"Don't you fucking speak about her like you know her! You aren't Beck!" Jade responded, her need to keep me safe no doubt holding the darkness inside her at bay. He laughed again before pounding steps traveled closer. Jade let out a pained growl just as a slam shook the door. He must have thrown her at it. I could hear them fighting just outside, Jade's pain punctuating the noise once in a while. I didn't know if she wasn't able to land any blows or if he couldn't feel anymore because all I heard from him were snarls and grunts. Suddenly, it went silent, the scuffling coming to a halt. I stepped up to the door, trying to listen out for anything, when without warning, the door blew to pieces. I screamed and jumped aside, covering my head.

The door gave another crack, fully breaking under the body thrown through it. It was Beck, battered and almost beaten to a pulp. Jade jumped through at that moment, striding over to him. What came next brought bile to my mouth, threatening to turn into vomit. Jade crouched over him, grabbing a handful of his shirt in one hand while gripping under his jaw with the other. They stared at each other one last time before Jade snarled, bared her teeth, and then tore out his throat. Dark blood and thick black tar spilled all over the place. The tearing of flesh had me dry heaving. Jade panted, dropping Beck's limp body to stand. Her stance was slightly hunched over, her hands curled like claws. She let out a long low growl before turning to me. Her piercing yellow eyes pinned me to the spot, a twisted smirk pulling at her full lips.

"You're all mine now," she stated with eagerness. Her eyes flashed hungrily as she began to stalk towards me slowly. Her head tilted to the side, eyeing me. It unnerved me with how intense her stare was. I stumbled backwards before darting for the door, tears running down my face. She overcame Beck but she succumbed to the evil herself. It was down to me and her. I didn't know if I could do it. I couldn't…kill her, but what else could I do? I ran for another room and slammed it shut, turning the lock. I searched desperately for something to block it but the room held no such obstructions besides a broken down bed frame. I paced, too scared and upset to do anything else. My mind was racing with everything colliding so that I couldn't decide on one action. I let out a pitiful whine but fell silent when Jade suddenly slammed against the door.

"Tori…let me in," she called to me, her voice alluring yet tainted. The tears came again and I shook my head. I ignored her, searching the room for anything useful. My hands shook and tears clouded my vision.

"Tori…" she called again, what sounded like nails dragging down the door. I wanted to scream at her to leave me alone but my voice wouldn't come out. I shut my useless mouth and grit my teeth. My emotions were running at a dangerous high at this point. I strode to the closet and flung it open, the weak hinges snapping under the force. It fell to the side but didn't slow me down. A fist struck the door and I jumped.

"Tori!" she growled in clear frustration. I could feel her anger seething through the door. I bit back a sob and stumbled forward, tripping over something in the dark. My hands flew out to catch myself. My hand met the back of the wall which caved in. I fell in a cloud of dust, coughing as it coated my throat. I waved it away then peered into the darkness. I couldn't make out anything so I started feeling my way forward. There were stairs here. I started down them without hesitation. This was my only way out so I had to take it. I moved as fast as I could in the darkness, hearing the door splinter apart along with a rage induced roar.

"You can't hide from me, Vega!" Jade growled fiercely. I flinched at the tone but kept going, listening as Jade tore apart the room I left behind. I was too busy listening for any sign that she was following me that I fell down the last few steps. I careened through a flimsy door and rolled to a stop in a small room. I coughed again and then stood on shaky legs, waiting for my eyes to adjust in the dark. I searched for a light and found it, flipping it on and almost giving myself a heart attack in the process when I saw what awaited me. A ghastly face stared back at me, dagger like teeth bared, ready to strike. Its skin was an inky black with spikes protruding from its head along with thick, twisting horns. I fell over backwards in fright before I realized it was only a mural hanging on the wall. Words at the bottom labeled the so called art as 'Devil Spawn'. Its yellow eyes caught my attention, locking me in place.

I ripped them away to land on a big tome sitting open on a small desk. I pushed myself up to lean over it. Words written in a strange script faced me. It was written in old English but I could still make out what it said. It looked like some sick occult book. I carefully turned a few pages but froze when I heard creaking overhead. She was looking for me. I had to get to the bottom of this. I had to save her. I didn't let myself think of the possibility that she couldn't be saved. That thing, whatever it was, took over my friends, made them kill each other. I glanced up at it, tearing down the painting in rage, before turning back to the book. Here I stood, in some kind of hidden away shrine to this thing, and all I could worry about was Jade, if I could get her back even if it meant die trying. It was cliché but, I couldn't live without her. The creaking of steps moved off to another side of the house, taking some of my high strung tension with it.

I still had some time. I wasted no more of it and started scanning the book for any answers. It was a little hard to understand the words used but slowly I began piecing it all together, taking in the gory illustrations that went with the words. I came across notes scribbled on the side and came to the conclusion that whoever lived out here, in the middle of godforsaken nowhere, were obviously obsessed and worshiped this demon that had the ability of granting wealth and power to anyone who asked for it. There was a price though. In exchange, those who called upon this demon must give it something to thrive on, a pure soul that had been recently tainted, as that kept it freshly marked for the demon to enter into our dimension. My stomach churned at the thought that the innocent boy we found must have been…tainted, in some way to allow the demon out. Things obviously didn't turn out the way they wanted.

The house wouldn't have the bloody reputation it did if it had. I went on to find more information that was enough to turn me away from the book entirely, the thoughts it brought making me deny what it stated. This demon thrived on sin and death. It couldn't possess those who haven't killed, on purpose or accident didn't matter, as they weren't steeped in sin enough to allow it entrance. I tried to push back what came next but it forced its way through. It made my breathing turn harsh. I forced the thoughts away to read on, hoping that there was some way to defeat it. Of course, the answer turned up, of course, it had to be an act of pureness, of course, it meant that to banish the demon Jade wouldn't survive in the process. She would have to willingly fight off the demon long enough to make the decision to sacrifice herself, giving her life, which would then purge the demon back to where it came from.

Self-sacrifice. It was a pure act the demon couldn't stand. I clutched at the book, gripping it in my hands, then tore through the pages in a futile effort to find more answers. There weren't any more to give. That was the only way. In my wild need to find my answers I ended up tearing the book apart. I continued to trash it then threw it to the ground, anger and pain and denial, and complete sadness tearing me up inside along with the book. It was unfair! It was too unfair to handle! I kicked the tattered tome then slid to the floor to sob heavily into my hands. I rested my forehead on my knees and curled in on myself. As soon as I was able to get a hold of myself again I got to my feet and climbed up the stairs. I cautiously peeked out of the hidden doorway and then tip toed to the closet doorway. Everything was silent. The strange churning in my gut was still there but it wasn't strong. I subconsciously used it to gauge how close I was to the abomination that took shelter in the only person I loved with everything I had.

The sound of a door opening in the distance made me freeze. A draft of air swept upstairs and I knew with intoxicating relief that I had my way out. I quietly but quickly went downstairs two at a time and rounded the banister to enter the kitchen. There, the door stood wide open, beckoning to me. It was right there. Freedom was only feet away. I shouldn't have moved but I ran to it, foolishly throwing all caution to the wind, only to be tackled from the side. I was thrown into the counter, the force jarring my back. I cried out in pain but an icy hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me. How stupid could I be? I thoughtlessly ran into a trap, too happy to see a way out to tread with caution. Tears came to my eyes which I had closed as soon as I was caught. I didn't want to see her or look into eyes that wouldn't look back at me with warmth and love. She was gone, effectively tearing out my heart with her.

"Patience pays off doesn't it?" she said with an air of smug triumph. I shuddered in disgust at the empty, chilling, tone of her voice. It was rough, lacking her natural smooth cadence.

"Look at me!" she snarled forcefully. Her hands shifted to hold down my wrists when I tried to catch her off guard and get away. I swung at her in a half-assed manner but she just chuckled and held me down.

"Nice try baby girl, but that won't work," she crooned condescendingly.

"Now, open your eyes so I can get a good look at you before I have my way with you," she continued. I shook my head and squeezed them shut in refusal. I could feel the hot tears burning down my cheeks now, sobs ripped from my sore throat. I sagged against the counter in defeat, knowing I was minutes from death. She let out a sigh and then her iron grip wrapped around my throat. She applied minimal pressure, just enough to make me choke on the air I tried to inhale. My eyes snapped open in surprise while my hands automatically tried to pull her off. Her insidious gaze pierced mine effortlessly while a cruel smirk appeared on her face. Her free hand reached up to stroke my cheek and then reached over my shoulder to grab something behind me. I flinched when she brought it into my view.

"How easy it would be to carve out that disgustingly pure heart of yours. You're still in His good graces, repelling me from using you but not saving you from my wrath. I'm sure you've read the book. You know the despicable things your so called good-hearted friends have done," she taunted, grinning at my horror filled expression.

"No! They couldn't have killed anyone! You're lying!" I spat at her. She brought the knife to my cheek and pressed in just enough to draw blood.

"Yes, I'm lying, because I couldn't have used them the way I did if I was. Think, Sweet Sally Peaches. I couldn't use poor innocent Cat so I offed her. Robbie has a few skeletons in his closet. The boy is a psycho," she remarked, laughing coldly. I shook my head, pleaded in broken words for her to stop, but she continued.

"I've been in all of them. I know their dirty secrets. Do you want to know?" she inquired casually, leaning closer to whisper in my ear. I shuddered in fear and disgust opposed to the heat the action usually brought.

"No, Jade, please…" I begged. Her grip tightened and I choked on my words.

"Robbie disappointed his father time and time again, so much so that the old man kicked the bucket from shame. No wonder his mother hates him," she told me without a care.

"No…" I groaned, closing my eyes again.

"Andre caused the death of his dear doggy as a kid. Fed him something that killed the poor beast," she continued.

"Stop," I whimpered. She just chuckled.

"Beck...well, Beck tormented a good few felines back in the day. He sure did hate cats, I have to tell you. Being a young boy under the stress of being ignored, yelled at when attention was on him, hearing the death of each of his family members. He bottled everything up so much he just exploded. I'm surprised he didn't break nowadays and just became a serial killer but maybe Jade had something to do with that?" she pondered mockingly. My face contorted, knowing she was next on the list.

"Jade surprisingly was a pure soul up until a few hours ago," the demon masquerading as my girlfriend stated. My eyes snapped open to look at her smirking appearance.

"What?" I questioned quietly.

"She's awfully violent and her temper is so powerful. She would kill if it meant protecting you. She did kill to protect you," she hinted, excited at the new horror washing over my face.

"Andre…" I whined, realization hitting me like a bus.

"Notice that you two didn't outrun me just because you were lucky. You were both sickly pure souls out of my reach. I have to congratulate you on surviving, but now it comes down to you and I. It amuses me that the last thing you'll see before I eat you alive is your love's face. I'm really going to enjoy this," she panted, her eyes flashing with maniacal pleasure. The knife swiftly swiped across my jaw, her tongue following to lap at the blood. She groaned, pressing closer to me while I tried to pull away. She leaned back with closed eyes to enjoy the taste then raised the knife, flipping it around so that the point touched down over my heart. My hand shot out in an attempt to stop her with my fingers around her wrist. My eyes met hers and suddenly she was growling in pain. She shook, her body wracked with tremors. Her hand loosened on my throat and she pulled away. I watched in awe as her hand turned the blade on herself while the other tried in vain to stop it. She was fighting back. Jade was still in there somewhere!

"Jade!" I called to her, taking a step only to jump back when she viciously swiped at me. She groaned and fell against the counter next to me. Her hand continued to clutch the wrist of the one wielding the knife, fighting herself.

"Tori…" her voice called to me. Her true voice. It was weak and faint but it was her.

"I'm here, Jade. I'm here," I responded, gripping her shoulder. She shuddered again and tried to force the knife but it wouldn't budge.

"Kill me," she demanded, tears in her eyes.

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"I want to die. I willingly give my life to send this fucker straight to hell!" she forced out through clenched teeth.

"No, Jade. I can't do that!" I panicked, grabbing her by the shoulders to make her face me. She snarled and swung at me but I caught the blow easily with Jade's help. She had pulled back at the last minute. I was forced back into the counter again. Her eyes caught mine and I gasped. She looked at me with tears running down her cheeks, making her already beautiful blue-green eyes sparkle. A sad but loving smile took over for the hateful scowl. Her fingers were slowly pried open and I snatched the weapon from her before she could lose her temporary control. I turned it on her but stopped when the point pricked at her chest, right over her heart. She gripped my hand with both of hers. They were ice cold but gentle.

"Do it," she commanded me. I shook my head, blinking away more tears. Her hands tightened on mine, a determined expression on her face. Either she was losing the battle or she would find the will to do it herself.

"I can't. I love you," I stated brokenly. She smiled, that loving Jade smile that I missed so much in these past hours of pain and suffering. With that smile I knew our time was up. I bit my lip and shook my head, unsure if I was telling her not to go through with it or myself. She just nodded, squeezed my hands in hers, and drove the blade into her heart with one quick thrust. I watched, broken-hearted, as the blade sunk into her effortlessly. Her eyes conveyed pain and relief, her mouth falling open in a gasp. The hilt stopped it from going any deeper but the damage was done. She struggled to pull in two more breaths then let it out in the last words I would ever hear from her.

"I…love you…too," she choked out. Her eyes turned glassy and dimmed, her body giving out as it fell limp. I caught her before she could fall to the floor. I yanked the blade from her chest and tossed it across the kitchen in a fit of rage. I cradled her in my arms, my lips trembling as I tried to hold it all in. I stroked her cheek, noting the last tears that rolled over her skin. In death she looked better than she had alive. With the demonic presence gone her natural porcelain skin returned, minus the sickly hue, but it lacked warmth. It lacked life. I shut her eyes, no longer wanting to see them so lifeless, and then screamed her name mournfully. My heart was effectively shattered as I sobbed heavily into her body.

I hugged her to me, wishing my love for her alone could bring her back. I prayed to God and begged her to return, but she wasn't coming back. She wasn't coming back to me. None of them were ever coming back. I let out another wail and buried my face in her neck. Time was lost on me as I wallowed in grief for my lost family and friends. I didn't care to move or get help. I didn't care about anything but her and the faces I would no longer look upon. I just stayed there with my dead love wrapped in my arms, refusing to let her go, to believe that I would never have her here with me or be surrounded by the people I called family. I would never forget them. I would never let her go.

* * *

***Cry* I know, I'm horrible. Never again...**


	2. Aftermath

**After writing Sacrifice I wondered what would become of Tori. I was lost until my sister helpfully provided the after effects...for each character including Tori, that is. I didn't want the other interesting and crazy ideas to go to waste so here's Tori and the others endings. Just think, in an alternate reality where each could have been the survivor, this would have been the after effects of that. Happy Halloween!**

* * *

_~/Tori/~_

I sat there, waiting for my tears to slow but they didn't. They continued to flow over my cheeks and drip off my chin to land on the stiff body I still held in my arms, unable to let go. After Jade's passing and the murder of everyone I called a family I managed to call my dad, although I didn't think he could properly understand me through the tears. I was a mess and all I wanted was for the people I loved to come back. I wanted Jade back most of all. She sacrificed herself to save me. It was the ultimate sign of her love for me and now I would never see her again. I would never see any of them. They were gone. My dad arrived with his partner and quickly removed me from the premises while the other officer assessed the situation. I didn't want to leave Jade but they forced me to, dragging me until I was back at my childhood home.

They didn't want me to be alone at a time like this. They of course tried to comfort me but get a statement from me at the same time. They wanted to know who killed them. I told them everything. Every little detail spilled from my mouth as I relived the horrible event. They didn't believe me. Why would they? But when I was adamant about what happened, screaming at them that it was all true, they threatened to have me taken to a mental institute to reform me back into what I once was. Couldn't they see that none of this mattered? That nothing good could come out of any of this? I wasn't some toy they could just fix. My soul and heart were broken beyond repair. Did they not see that?

My parents wouldn't allow it anyway so they packed up and decided to live with me, probably hoping that I would get better. I just wanted to be home, to be in my room, surrounded by all that I had left of them. I also wanted to be alone but they wouldn't give that to me. Now that everything was reported, my family buried, and I was back home, I was devastated. I was hit by wave after wave of depression. I didn't want to feel anymore and became numb. The worst part was all the pity and coddling from my parents. I knew they meant well but I just wanted to be alone. I kept thinking that all I had to do was be a little more firm with Jade. I should have told her how scared I really was and I was sure she would have called it off. But I didn't. I didn't and now everyone was dead.

After two months passed of me either lying in bed or standing at the window with a blank stare at the backyard where we had our mini party before driving to our doom, my parents decided enough was enough. They wanted to clean out the rooms to try and make a new start. If their stuff was gone then they felt I could move on as I was already clinging to the house. I begged them not to; that it was all I had, but they didn't listen.

Slowly they began taking apart the memories and the emotions that came with it. Robbie and Cat's room was the first to go. I cried in a ball at the foot of my bed for a day, hugging Mr. Purple and stashing Robbie's acoustic guitar. A few days later it was Andre and Beck's room. That hurt more. Andre and I were so close. I fought to keep his keyboard and Beck's truck. It was his baby and meant so much to him that I couldn't let it get sold off.

When they got to my room I didn't let them touch a damn thing. Everything needed to be right where it was. I realized I was mostly passive aggressive this whole time but when it came to preserving all that was the love of my life, I flipped. I fought at them tooth and nail and they had no choice but to leave it. Jade would not be wiped from this house. She deserved a spot here forever. No one would take that from me.

A year passed me by and yet I still didn't move. My parents returned to their lives so stressed out that they started paying a home nurse to take care of me and the house. Physically, I was there, but mentally, I wasn't. I was always thinking of the past, then the horror show would flash through my mind, and then I was back to the happy times. The nurse was such a talkative woman and I gave her props for dealing with me. She told me how the neighbor's kids kept calling me names and spying on me. They saw me standing at the window all the time but I didn't care. I would continue to live here, no, survive here. They could do all they could to keep me alive but the fact was, I didn't want to live anymore.

My friends were the light of my life and they were all snuffed out. My internal ray of sunshine had frozen over, my heart turned to stone. I didn't care about anything anymore. Nothing mattered to me besides living out my days in my room surrounded by the last pieces of them that I could cling to. I would forever be the crazy, mute, hermit that those kids talked about, but I wasn't looking to change a single thing. I never had any plans to live past that night anyway.

* * *

_~/Jade/~_

Like all those horror movies she loved, Jade was the lone survivor. She had always thought that being the survivor was a good thing; that the evil, death, and doom didn't get them, but she was wrong. She knew it in her heart that being a survivor was pain and agony, knowing that her family were slaughtered and she was left to bear the burden of reliving that over and over again. The worst part was losing the very person who made her who she was today. She burst into her life and spun it around, driving her crazy before capturing her heart. Tori was dead and it was all her fault. The girl who gave her peace of mind and tempered her rage was no longer alive.

Why in the world did she make that dare? What was she trying to prove? She was being stupid, like she always was when it came to pushing people. If she hadn't tried so hard to prove it wasn't so bad then none of them would be dead right now. They would all be home, most likely fighting over what to do. She would have Tori in her arms, warm and gentle, not this cold and hard body. Her tears ran out hours ago, draining with her heart and anything else that broke her down. She didn't want to feel anymore. Without Tori she couldn't go on. Without Tori she was nothing. Without Tori she wouldn't be able to stop the instinctual rage from manifesting within her and taking her to breaking point.

She mechanically called the one adult who was there for her more than her own parents, David Vega. He came with his partner and comforted her as well as tried to keep himself together while his partner took notes. They tried to get her to talk but she only told them of the true evil. She had already resolved to not speak anymore after that. She didn't need to and she didn't want to. When they realized she was closed off to them they decided to remove her from the house. She fought them, refusing to go. She couldn't leave Tori. With a little more restraint than they thought they needed they managed to get her out.

She didn't answer any questions and didn't respond to anything they said. She was just a shell of the person she was, a ticking time bomb waiting to explode if the right buttons were pushed. Because she expressed no want to return home and her parents wanted nothing to do with her, she was taken to a mental facility where they cared for her.

She was pretty tame and automatically accomplished necessary tasks but stiffened into an unreachable concrete wall the moment anything concerning the horrible event was mentioned. She had no more tears to cry over anyone but was usually seen curled up on her bed or in the corner of her room, sobbing and muttering about her being the one who should have died along with late apologies to Tori, her lost love. Anyone who dared to bring up Tori quickly learned to never do it again. The first doctor to try and get through to her got his fingers broken. She attacked so fast he couldn't get away without being injured. They wisely put her in a straightjacket every time they took her out from that point on. Should the topic of the half Latina arise again they didn't want a repeat of her out of control violence.

The only other casualty involved someone who had stopped in to drop off her food. They idiotically taunted her, thinking she wouldn't react to anything but the taboo of speaking Tori's name. He was wrong, and Jade swiftly took a spoon to his eyes and a fork to his throat. They were both plastic but she made it work, intent on showing him the unbelievable amount of pain she felt. She was sedated in order to calm her down.

She was little more than a savage animal as years passed. She didn't use words, just grunts and growls. The security around her heightened once more while doctors tried in vain to bring her out of her animalistic state. She ignored them, she ignored everyone. She didn't want to get better. This torture of remembering all she had only for it to be torn away was her punishment for guiding the ones she loved to death. It was all her fault and she was well aware of it. She knew her fate would be to rot away in this place, because the tests and questions wouldn't stop.

She couldn't help but think that people were stupid, humanity was stupid. They didn't accept the pure evil that hid in the shadows, picking them off one by one. She had always been a little on the dark side and knew there had to be some malicious creatures out there waiting to do them harm, but she never thought she would be one of those idiots she made fun of in the horror movies. She never thought she would be the cause of her family's death. She was the worst patient the facility had ever seen in a long time and she would forever be known as the aggressive worn soul that had been tormented into primal insanity.

* * *

_~/Cat/~_

She had faced some pretty twisted mental instabilities in her family since a young age but Cat didn't let it bother her. Her brother was already out of his mind and she just learned to roll with it. She was a caring, sweet, soul and was always the first to help out. She didn't like conflict of any kind which included violence. It scared her and she always had to find her happy place to escape its scary clutches.

Being the lone survivor after the death of her closest friends did something to Cat's already fragile mind. She wasn't naïve, but chose to look at the bright side of things to avoid any pain or sadness. Pretending to be under her bed and imagining pretty unicorns always seemed to do the trick, but not this time. This time she couldn't run from the horrors she had witnessed, her friends slaughtered right before her eyes.

Robbie had given his life to keep her alive. She should have admitted she liked him long ago, when he started to take an interest in her, but now it was too late. They had so little time together and now he was gone. She missed him dearly, all of them. She called the cops and ended up getting Tori's dad, Mr. Vega, she liked to call him. He cried over his lost daughter, looking down at her unmoving form next to Jade's dead body. They fought all they could together but there was just no escaping what had attacked them.

Cat tried not to ever think of bad things, let alone something that was purely evil. She shied away from all those gory movies Jade liked to watch. It was just too much for her. Sadness alone weighed heavy on her so anything more completely broke her. She cried, but her defense mechanism to block it out soon took hold. She once again searched for her happy place, found it, and clutched it tight. It was her only way to survive the event. With her mind unable to be reached her parents had no choice but to admit her to the same mental facility that her brother was at. They didn't interact with each other either as they were both lost in their own separate worlds. They now had that in common.

There were a few times when the doctors talked to her that she would surface, only to speak of what she saw, whimper, sob, and then fall back under the self-induced fog of forgetfulness. They couldn't reach her but they still tried. Cat spent her days wandering the halls of the facility. She wasn't a bother. She was more of a living ghost, unsettled and lost, unable to get back what was taken from her. Some claimed to have seen her talking to someone but no one was there. She would stop walking and an empty smile would spread then she would talk like there was someone there. Names were dropped that they think might have been the friends that were killed in the terrible ordeal that was the straw that broke the camel's back, in other words, her mind. She held long conversations with her invisible companions and even pretended to interact with them. She never included anyone else in her activities so no one had to humor her and talk to them too. She was perfectly happy all on her own.

Sometimes, when she was alone in her room, usually when it was time for bed, she would let herself sink into that dark corner of her mind. She would see the images and feel the unbridled terror. Those nights she couldn't keep it back and would hurt herself in her attempts to be free of them. In the morning when they checked on her they would find poems about the family she missed and have to patch her up while trying once again to talk to her but she was already gone every time. There was no one home. She was an empty house, just as their house now was until it was sold off to another person.

Cat was fine living in her synthetic world because she saw the smiling faces of her family there at all times. They helped her to believe that everything would be ok as long as she saw them there. Plus, allowing her mind the freedom to leave the plane of reality gave her to ability to talk with them. She quickly came to call them ghosts, the spirits of her dead friends who were now visiting her whenever she needed them. The doctors were sure she thought they were real in that aspect at least. Who were they to tell her any differently? That was what made her happy, and because they could not snap her out of it, they let her be.

Now the once joyful and hyper girl known as Cat was replaced with a more vacant version with all the components of the girl she used to be while lacking that warmth. There was no saving her from the safety of her mind and her parents resolved to leave her alone too. She was just like her brother now, only maybe, slightly worse. He still talked to others once in a while. She was the quietest patient with passive insanity coming and going as often as her mind did, forever lost.

* * *

_~/Andre/~_

Seeing the blank faces of all that he cared about didn't go well with Andre at all. He was always known to let his emotions get the best of him. He went all wonky in the head and couldn't relax until he utilized music to calm him. It had always worked that way. Now that he was surrounded by the deaths of all he knew he didn't think it could all be fixed with some music. For once, his normal escape would provide him nothing. He was sure it would do nothing but give him even more reminders of what he had.

After the drama of that day was long behind him it still haunted his thoughts, Beck's last moments at the top of the pile. He tried to invest his time and attention in his songwriting but living in a house that had been filled with noise and music of all kinds was driving him crazy. He had to do something to stop the horrific memories from overrunning him. He had to sing and play as he always did. It had to help. It just had to. He started out playing his favorites but quickly realized that it wasn't helping. He grew frustrated and paced, wondering what to do now. He went back to work and tried there but all that came out of him were depressing notes of pain and suffering, loss and regret.

He wasn't one to force bravery. Heck, he was almost as cowardly as Robbie sometimes. He had a gut feeling that going to that house was the worst idea and yet he didn't fight it. He was the driver after all. Almost every day he was sent home for his melancholy lyrics and told to lighten it up, come up with something poppy and upbeat like he had done before, but he just couldn't. He played what he felt and tried to get it out but maybe there was just too much to sift through? Maybe he wouldn't ever be able to get it all out and he would forever be a wonky mess. He knew he might lose his job soon if he couldn't produce one less depressing piece, and soon.

So, to combat that, he sat down at the very piano he constantly played at the Vega household. It was for Tori. It had always been for Tori, so when she moved, it moved with her. Although Andre cleaned out the house for the most part he kept a few things from each that really mattered. The piano was one that he and Tori connected over. He sighed heavily and covered his face after brushing a hand over the keys. So many memorable times with his muchacha played out right here on this bench. He held back a sob and let his fingers relax on the keys.

He took a deep breath and tried to bring the good memories to the forefront of his mind, hoping that more will inspire him to write better songs. His fingers followed his thoughts, and before he knew it, he was going back to that mini party they had before their life literally went to hell. Landslide, a favorite of all of theirs but more so for Jade and Tori who sung it all the time. They had sung it again that night and it stuck with him, feeling the way they sung like it was their emotions in the form of sound. They were always like that. He let the sad smile come to his face and played through the song to the end. It left him with an echo of something he hoped meant that it had helped. For now, he just had to wait and see. He returned to the sound studio to come up with something similar to Landslide. It was almost as slow and seemed to be another let down but the lyrics came to him and it turned into one of happy reminiscence.

It was safe to say he came up with something better than he had before but it still held a note of sadness so when he went back home he tried again. He played the song and again that feeling returned. It was pleasant but out of his reach. He wanted it. He wanted to have it and keep it with him but it kept fading away. The next day he created a song full of love and loyalty. He had been thinking of everyone again when he wrote it. He was congratulated for the effort and everyone felt he was on the road to recovery. But then he returned home and played the song one more time. The feeling returned but this time he would keep it. He knew where it called to him and he was going to go there, even if it meant leaving all this behind. None of it mattered if it meant he would be in a better place away from all this pain. He wanted his friends and family back.

He finished the song with a flourish and then stood up from the bench. He picked it up in his arms and took it with him outside where he set it down under the tree they usually sat under. He moved the chairs they used out of the way and then left to get what he needed. When he came back he set up his makeshift stage and stood on it, ready for his last performance. He sung the words to the song that started it all, the one that made Tori shine in all their lives and turned his life into something worth living. She brought them all together and now all he wanted was to be with them. The song ended when he stepped off the bench, the only sound left being the creak of the branch overhead.

* * *

_~/Robbie/~_

After living through the horror of seeing his friends die one by one, Robbie was eerily quiet about the whole ordeal days later. Yes, he cried over Cat, the petite and lovable girl who saved him, and the others who were his family for most his life, but that passed. He returned to society but lived in a smaller apartment as far away as he could from the house he had lived in with his friends. He didn't want to see it ever again.

He spent his days avoiding anyone he could, only talking when he had to. After work he would retreat to a spare room that he converted into a workshop. Wood, paint, and other materials littered the area. He let no one in his house, but should a maintenance worker need to inspect anything they were never allowed even close to it. Robbie kept it locked at all times. He spent the majority of his time in this room, crafting what he termed in his head, new friends. His old friend, Rex, sat in the corner, overlooking his work. He had put aside the puppet a long time ago but Rex became a part of him once more, effortlessly inputting his opinions like he had never left. The urban accented puppet also went right back to verbally smacking him around. He had then questioned Robbie why he didn't just bring his friends back. It took a few days for Robbie to figure it out, but when he did, he didn't stop until he had them all back.

He started with Cat, rendering her features perfectly in wood. He knew her face like the back of his hand and gave her that cheery smile he liked so much. Next came Andre, the carefree musician that took him in when he was being severely bullied. He made sure to include joints in the fingers so that he could play instruments. He worked on Tori and Jade at the same time, unable to see one without the other. They were a perfect match after all the denial was worked over. Jade was mean and scary without Tori, but with her, she was oddly polite and nice. Tori was always a beacon of positivity for them all and he liked her the minute she showed up. Jade needed that pleased smirk and Tori needed fully functioning brows to portray her ever fluid facial expressions. As for Beck, well, they weren't really close but he looked up to the laid back actor. He wanted to be Beck, as most did, and have girls all over him, like Beck had. Especially after he and Jade moved on. He was a chick magnet.

Robbie diligently recreated them all and placed them on the desk Rex sat at. He cleaned up but kept the room full of supplies so he could fix up his new family whenever they needed it. He would often come home and marvel at their likeness, patting himself on the back and admiring how real they were. It was like preserving their very essence along with all the memories he had of them. He never wanted to think of that awful night all that time ago. In fact, he erased that event from ever happening and, according to him, it never happened. His friends were still here and he would take care of them. If he wasn't working he was talking to them, interacting with them.

There were days he took them out in a wagon, knowing that they loved to hang out. It was some of the best times he had with them, especially when they got into weird adventures and had to get out of ridiculous situations. People gave him funny looks or considered him a complete freak. Children tried to play with the hand crafted puppets but he wouldn't let them, claiming that they weren't toys to be played with, they were people. Parents would promptly take their child away. He didn't care. He had his friends and nothing else mattered.

It wasn't a problem until the day his car broke down and he had to take the subway to and from work. He had taken to carrying his friends in a large backpack, Rex thrown in to complete the set. He had taken a seat in the empty subway car, the late hour cleaning out a lot of passengers. A man sat across from him, reading the paper. He glanced at Robbie but did a double take when he saw him take out the puppets and make them talk to each other. He was proud with his ability to sound almost exactly like his friends.

Sometimes he would even try out the mocking tone Jade used on Tori. He almost always ended their fight with a suggestion to kiss and make up. It was even fun being Beck for once or talking in that purely Andre way. Cat stayed sweet and innocent in his mind. The man's brows creased as he witnessed this and then made the decision to comment, a direct insult to Robbie, as he had made the fatal mistake of calling them puppets.

Suddenly, without warning, Robbie was seeing red. He gave the man a cold stare, set aside his friends with their faces turned away, and advanced on him. The man was so shocked he had no time to defend himself. Robbie got off at his stop while cleaning his hands of the red staining them on a napkin before pocketing it and walking home. No one called his family puppets. They were real.

* * *

_~/Beck/~_

The sudden death of so many people at once put Beck, who was normally calm, in a state of constant unrest. He had been the survivor for one reason and that reason was Andre. He had fearlessly traded his life for Beck's and that was why he was still here. After he left the death clouded house with the help of the police he returned to the gang's shared home, thoroughly traumatized. He hated when his emotions grew too strong for him to handle. He didn't like when he didn't have control, which was why he was strangely held together when he was deemed ok to return back to society.

To any passerby he was still the calm Beck everyone knew. The fact that he had seen the brutal murder of his family didn't seem to faze him at all. His best pal? Nope. His annoying but kind companion? Nope. His carefree ball of hyper activity? Nope. His most trusted friend who was the only girl that never obsessed over him? Nope. His first true love who had been won over by the previously mentioned? Nope. Nothing could break the wall he hid himself behind. He went back to work and life, determined to forget. He felt like he could move on as his career began to take off, but slowly, he would notice the changes.

People would skirt him, feeling uncomfortable. There was no trust in their eyes. He was too robotic, too tranquil. No one was that unfeeling. Sure, when he took to the stage or was on camera, he was a wellspring of emotions, but they were all perfect replicas of the real thing. His wall had kept out the bad but also blocked out the good, and it showed. Since he lived alone and constantly lost new opportunities at friendships, he had nothing else to do but clean out the house. He didn't want any more lingering memories and worked to take it all out. He only paused and suffered a bout of pain when he came across Jade's possessions.

Tori had once told him that she told Jade to keep anything Jade had of her time with Beck. It might not have worked out between them but they parted mutually and were still good friends. There were happy memories there. Beck didn't think Jade would keep it but it looked like she did. Who was he kidding? Tori could get Jade to do anything. He missed them all so much and his heart broke all over again as he looked through the box of old memories. Jade had kept another, bigger, part of her relationship with Tori. That he politely put aside and didn't look through it.

Once the house was swept clean of the past in any form he took to unknowingly wallowing in his grief that had forced its way through. He may have put up a wall but he neglected to realize that it was a wall made of glass. It was thick, and held back what it was supposed to, but it had been cracking. Finding those things that Jade kept cracked it further, making it fall to pieces shard by shard.

The first time he remotely thought of self-medication came when he was shopping and passed a shelf full of various alcoholic beverages. He bought some, telling himself it would help ease the pain and his thoughts. He continued to work and drank at home with his meal. The days sped by and soon he was drinking whenever he could while the pain just got worse, torturing him. He drank more, even drinking without eating. He spent days drunk and eventually was kicked out of every gig he landed. He built up a bad reputation and was essentially blackballed. No one wanted him. He was a sham of his former self. With his career in ruins and his own mental stability weakening he kept drinking. He blacked out a lot and lost track of time. With no money coming in he was in debt and losing things but he didn't care. He didn't want to go on anymore. Everything he had was nothing if he didn't have those friends he called family.

So, he scrapped up all the money he could find, spent it all on alcohol, and then locked himself in the big, painfully empty, reminder of a house. He took a seat and drank a bottle for every memory that came to him concerning the now dead and gone people he held close to his heart. He only barely remembered puking it all back up a few times but he kept going, not stopping until he either finished it all or stopped the memories from coming. He chugged and threw up, and chugged again. He was wearing down now, drinking on autopilot as he saw their faces in his blurred mind.

He couldn't get up now, losing the ability to do anything but keep drinking. His body was numb and his mind was dimming. He didn't know how long he had left but he was welcoming the void that would take him away to see his family again. He had a single bottle left now, but when he tried bringing it to his mouth, his body finally gave in. His hand dropped, the bottle smashing and soaking the floor. His eyes closed and he fell asleep, getting his wish to join them on the other side.

* * *

**So here's a question, which one was your favorite? Or better yet, who do you think had it worse? Hard to say since they all had it pretty bad...**


End file.
